Questions About Exit, Pursued by a Bear

by E.K. Johnston (Goodreads Author)

Reader Q&A

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Answered Questions (7)

Which Shakespeare play is the title based off of?

Heather Babcock Hermione is also the name of the king's wife in "A Winter's Tale". She is unjustly accused of cheating on her husband and giving birth to a bastard.…moreHermione is also the name of the king's wife in "A Winter's Tale". She is unjustly accused of cheating on her husband and giving birth to a bastard.(less)

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Why are the Canadians so brave and bold and willing to face the real stuff we're lying about denying and pretending isn't happening in America?

Continental Drifter Not all Canadians, let me tell you. And this book got published by an American publisher so there are, I think, a lot of Americans who get it. Honestl…moreNot all Canadians, let me tell you. And this book got published by an American publisher so there are, I think, a lot of Americans who get it. Honestly, I think the root of the difference lies in national mythology. We Canadians think of government as us, that is, we are the government and the government is for us. In investing in a government that provides health care for everyone, that funds decent schools and heavily subsidizes university so that it's affordable for most families, we build a society that is more empathic, and more cohesive. Also, we have fewer illusions about the "self-made man" than Americans. Nobody is self-made. Nobody can take credit for their genes and parents, social class and community. And even people who defied the odds of bad parents, low social class, and unsupportive (or even hostile) community, can't take credit for a genome which made them able-bodied and mentally normative (usually). Countries like Canada, and to an even greater extent, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway and Sweden, invest in ordinary people as a matter of policy. Individuals know that they aren't totally screwed when they face bad luck or make, and regret, bad decisions.

Social stability like that breeds secular, progressive attitudes that reject patriarchal mores that cause victim-blaming and slut-shaming. Things like abortion are seen as necessary medical procedures and are fully covered by government health care because we trust the women seeking them as having the capability to decide that it's necessary for them (and while abortion is legal throughout a pregnancy, its easy and no-cost availability ensures that the vast majority of abortions happen in the first trimester). And while Hermione's experience is at the positive end of the spectrum (for someone who's been raped) even here in Canada, most Canadians, including the vast majority of teachers, doctors and therapists reflect something close to the ideal that we see in the book. Cops, and the justice system I think still have a ways to go to get to that level, but in many cities, there are serious efforts being made to educate the law enforcement and justice employees about rape culture and its pervasive impact on society.

We're not perfect, so don't put us on a pedestal. But E.K. Johnston has written a great book that gives I think the best model of how the family, friends and community of a rape victim should behave (believe her, support her, give her what she actually needs, trust her decisions and let her heal in whatever way she needs to, because there's no wrong way). This should be required reading in high schools throughout the world; it is truly phenomenal.(less)

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Is there romance in it ? And it is a retelling of what exactly ??

Laura The book is about a sexual assault, and the aftermath, so no. The main character is in a relationship at the beginning, but that crumbles. As part of …moreThe book is about a sexual assault, and the aftermath, so no. The main character is in a relationship at the beginning, but that crumbles. As part of her healing process, she reaches the point where she kisses (and wants to be kissed by) a boy, but there's no actual romance.(less)

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This is a book all about strength and courage. Hermione clearly proved that she was a strong individual by overcoming her tough parts of her assault. The message of this story was that as humans we tend to dwell on negative things, but you have to stay strong to get through these and have a positive outcome. However, do you think that if Hermione did not have support her outcome would have been different?

Mollye I definitely think so. If Hermione didn't have Polly or her parents or her entire team by her side, I don't know if she'd have been able to overcome i…moreI definitely think so. If Hermione didn't have Polly or her parents or her entire team by her side, I don't know if she'd have been able to overcome it as incredibly as she has. The support was a huge part of the book, and as the author states in the end, it's awful how not every survivor has that. That's not to say Hermione isn't incredibly strong on her own , but support always makes a difference. (less)

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does this have gay or lesbian characters? goodreads marked it as such